Mars Surface Images from Curiosity Rover, 2012-2015

6,691 labeled Mars surface images collected by the Curiosity rover's Mastcam and MAHLI instruments between August 2012 and July 2015. The dataset, created by researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is split into 24 classes and partitioned into train, validation, and test sets based on the Martian day of acquisition. Images are provided as lower-resolution 'browse' versions at roughly 256x256 pixels.

Use Cases

• Train image classifiers to identify Martian geological features based on the 24 labeled classes.
• Benchmark model performance on temporally split data to simulate an operational archive growing over time.
• Develop terrain analysis algorithms using calibrated imagery from multiple rover instruments.

Strengths

• Contains 6,691 images, providing a substantial collection for model training.
• Covers a temporal range from sol 3 to 1060, spanning nearly three Earth years of rover operations.
• Includes data from three distinct instruments (Mastcam Right, Mastcam Left, MAHLI), offering multiple perspectives.

Limitations

• Images are 'browse' versions at roughly 256x256 pixels, not full resolution.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover)

Collection Method

Images collected by the rover's Mastcam and MAHLI instruments.

Time Range

August 2012 to July 2015 (sols 3 to 1060)

Geography

Mars surface (Gale Crater region traversed by the Curiosity rover)